Daddy's Angel
by Summer Potter
Summary: On the 12th anniversary of Harry's Potter death, his only daughter re-reads the letter he wrote during the war and reminds herself how much he loved her. Pure fluff! Have a tissue or two handy. Read it while listening to Elton John's Candle in the Wind


**Daddy's Angel**

Madelynn Potter sat on the porch, the portable radio sitting off to the side. The song ended and Madelynn continued her essay for Potions. It was one of her summer assignments that she was given and since she had nothing to do today, Madelynn decided it was best to get it over with now.

"Hi I'm Hannah Walker and this is 106.2 Magic FM, it's ten minutes after three and you have to love the weather outside today. But today isn't as wonderful as we'd all like it to be. I'm sure you've already heard today, but if you haven't, it's the 12th anniversary of Harry Potter's death."

Madelynn froze. She'd tried not to think of that today. Every year it came and every year she'd pray it wouldn't; that they'd just forget. Madelynn turned off the radio, fumbling with the OFF switch as she gathered up her things. She could hear her mother in the next room and she really wanted to be alone right now.

Madelynn slipped through door and rushed to the sanctuary of her bedroom. She closed the door with a soft click and dropped all her belongings into her trunk with a heavy sigh.

Her eyes flicked over to the mirror on the wall and she moved towards it, eyeing her appearance most judgmentally. On her desk, a picture of her parents waved and smiled up at their daughter and tears began to form in Madelynn's eyes. It wasn't fair that she was alone, it wasn't fair that her father had to have been killed.

Her father had been out fighting in the war against Voldemort. They had been told he had been stunned, stabbed and supposedly dragged around. Aurors had found his body floating in muddy, blood-filled water in the forest. His wand lay snapped off to the side and he had been found with a roll of parchment- a note to Madelynn and his mother.

Madelynn stared hatefully at her reflection. She had her father's emerald green eyes and his slim form. She was small and petite, like her mother, with a heart-shaped face, long lashes and dark brown hair.

Everyone said she reminded them of her father and for every person that said that, she came to dislike her appearance even more. She hated being reminded constantly that she didn't have a father, that he was murdered and stolen from her life.

She turned from the mirror and went over to her bed. She gently lifted up the mattress and pulled out a thin black book. Inside it, pressed and folded was the note that had been found in her father's robes. It was ripped slightly, torn and dirty, but the writing was legible and she had read it so many times, Madelynn could nearly recite it off by heart.

_Dearest Ginny and Madelynn,_

_I fear when I will get to see you again, the war is getting more violent and the numbers of Death Eaters only seem to grow. I am lying low right now, literally. I won't tell you where in case this falls into the wrong hands and I am somehow traced. But the mud and the water is everywhere, my robes are soaked, but other than that, I'm fine. _

_I miss you both so very much right now. I got your last letter Ginny, about Madelynn saying 'Dadda' for the first time. I am absolutely thrilled, Gin! I just wish I was there to hear it! You've got no idea what I wouldn't give to make peace and come home. _

_I haven't had to do much yet. I was at the Front lines for three days but the Death Eaters broke our defense ranks so we were ordered to retreat slightly and extend the distance between us. Then there was a rumour of a surprise attack so I was sent among four hundred others to hunt them out. We're spread out right now and I don't want to risk sneaking around in the dark just to kill someone. _

_It's been raining for the past three days straight and it finally let up today. Still I'm lying in the mud right now… I haven't been dry since I was in France in that Chateau. You'll be pleased to hear, Gin, that unlike some of the other Aurors, I did not flirt with the women there. I will admit they are beautiful, but they are nothing compared to your beauty. I love you. _

_How's Madelynn? Is she sleeping all right? Can you send me more pictures of her, Gin? I miss her so badly it hurts. Every night, I can't sleep obviously, I'll lay here and just think about you two or about being a family when I get back. I promise the moment you come back, I'm going to hold you both tightly in my arms and tell you just how sorry I am for leaving you both._

_I thought I'd get the chance to kill Voldemort. I honestly pictured in my head the Death Eaters being spread out and I'd advance on Voldemort and then kill him somehow, with some miracle spell that popped into my head. But this war isn't like that, its not like that at all. _

_All I can hear is yelling and shouting, sounds of the ground or trees or other things exploding or bursting into flames. A week or so ago, I past a burning church when we were sneaking up on a group of Death Eaters. I was told that there were people inside, meeting their deaths. It was the sickest thing I've ever heard of. Ninety-three people burned in that church, Ginny, ninety-three. All I could think about was you and Madelynn. What if it had been you? I wasn't allowed to go drag out the survivors, if there were any as the church burned to the ground. I thought about the little kids and how some of them could have been Madelynn's age. I felt sick and I felt like a murderer for running past that church- I was letting people die. _

_It's really dark now and it's quiet. Quiet can sometimes be good, just as long as its not silent. Silence means you are in trouble and can probably kiss your sorry butt goodbye. I can hear them fighting in the distance and I'm listening for any signs of movement, but there's nothing. _

_Ginny, this is really hard to think about, let alone right, but if I don't make it back in time, I want you to let Madelynn read my letters. I want you to tell her how much her father loves her, tell her I will always be there, if not in the physical form, but in spirit and soul, watching over her. I love her more than words can express, just as I love you. You two are the only people on this earth that keep me going, that make me want to live. _

_When she goes to Hogwarts, tell her to watch out for Snape and tell her how to get into the kitchens. Give her my invisibility cloak and Marauder's Map, tell her the secret passages. And when she's eleven, buy her an owl. That's been a comforting thought through all of this horror; to see my beautiful daughter's delight when she sees her very owl in its cage. Teach her to fly, teach her all about Quidditch so she can argue with her Uncles Ron, Fred and George, so she can challenge their skills._

_And Ginny, if I don't make it through this, I want you to know that never for one moment since I saw you, did I think less of you. I know we've been over this, as we've been in love for years and married for a while as well. But I know you're still a bit embarrassed about your crush on me. Don't be! I think those moments are some of the sweetest and they make me smile. Happiness is scarce out here and moments to smile bring great light to the darkness of war. _

_I love you, Ginny. I always have and I always will. I know I wasn't the perfect boyfriend and we broke up three times during our relationship. I wish I could have not been so blind towards you. You are and always have been an amazing woman and I realize now my life would not have been worth living if I hadn't met and fell in love with you. _

_If I don't ever get to see your face again and if you never get to see me after this, just know that if something should happen, I will think of nothing but of you and our daughter. I'm so glad I got to give you a child and if I come back, I will give you as many as you want. You mean the world to me and your smile lights up my life. Remember that, my love. _

_I don't think I should write for much longer, I need to make sure I am on guard for anything. Remember the first time we kissed? It was the Christmas of my sixth year, your fifth. We were out on the front lawns and we were talking, just talking. And you looked up at the moon and said how beautiful it was, but I was too busy staring at your face to pay attention to what you were telling me. I just remember your words that night. Here I'll write them out so that you can always remember: _

"_Isn't a full moon in a blue starry night sky the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" you asked me, your eyes twinkling under the moon's light. _

_You looked down at me with that smile that I love. "What?" _

"_The most beautiful thing that I've ever seen is not the moon, Ginny, it's you." _

_You didn't move at first and I was a little afraid that you'd be angry for my boldness for saying that. I can remember your cheeks turning pink and I took your hand. My hands were so much bigger than yours. You were staring at me with wondering eyes, as if you thought it might all be a dream. _

"_Merry Christmas, Ginny Weasley," I said. _

_And then I kissed you. _

_It must have been so pathetic, I was sixteen and I don't think I could kiss as well as I can do now. (I'm very modest, yes.) I can't remember when I ever felt happier at Hogwarts. _

_Ginny, I have to stop writing now. The sounds are getting louder and I might have to find a new place to hide. My eyes sting with exhaustion and my bones ache from the ground. _

_I love you and Madelynn more than I can describe! Give her a kiss for me and remember to send me pictures of you both! I'll be waiting for your next letter! _

_Yours forever, all my love, _

_Harry_

Madelynn stared down at the writing and a tear slipped down her face and onto her lap. She got off the bed and pulled out the little black book again. There was something else that had been found among her father's possessions. No one else knew about it but her. She'd found it in the robes that her father had been wearing when he had been attacked.

It had been scribbled and blood-stained with blotchy ink and addressed only to her. She pulled it out of the black book with trembling fingers and read the words on the torn piece of parchment.

**Goodbye my angel. I'll love you forever and always Madelynn.**

**Love Daddy**

Madelynn lay down on the pillow, no longer holding back her sobs as she cried her heart out. The little piece of parchment slipped from her fingers and fluttered to the floor.

Madelynn rolled over to stare at the picture of her parents. Her father grinned and waved at her. Madelynn smiled sadly and he put his arm around her mother and cuddled the tiny infant in his arms.

The inscription in the photo had been carved before he left for war. Madelynn could read it from where she was.

**TO MY ANGEL. LOVE DAD. **

"I'll always be your angel, Daddy. Forever," Madelynn whispered.


End file.
